The ceremony entrance is one of the big moments your guests have been waiting for. It is the moment they get to see you, in all your glory, moments before you say “I do.” They have all gotten all dressed up, gathered at your venue, and mingled with one another. They are finally seated and prepared for the long-awaited moment… your entrance! How will you step out and greet them?
The entrance of your wedding ceremony is going to instantly set the energy. It lets your guests know what to expect throughout the rest of the wedding experience. According to Minister Toya, author of Laughter at the Altar, the entrance is also the moment where emotions run high. “Whether you are the first person to enter or the last, it is the instant that you are presented with the manifestation of your love story and all of your planning work”, she says.
Now, if you have been following along with the wedding trends then you may have seen some interesting entrances on the internet. There have been flash mobs with the guests, choreographed dances with the wedding party, cartwheels down the aisle, and we’ve even seen a groom assist each person in the wedding party into a flip. While we love all of these ideas, we know that everyone isn’t that coordinated (at least not on the Laughter at the Altar team anyway)! So, our team decided to share a few cool entrance ideas for non-traditional couples (non-traditional meaning any couple looking to step outside of the stereotypical wedding traditions).
1) If your ceremony does not have a wedding party (or after the wedding party), you can have the guests stand for you and your partner to enter and make it an old-school soul train line! There are many upbeat love songs that can be used to pull this off (oop, new blog idea). Your officiant can have everyone stand and “get ready to welcome the couple.” Once the music starts and those doors open, your guests will be ready for the jam session.
2) Have the important people in your life sit along the aisle seats. Then as you walk down, take a moment to hug them, thank them, and share a quick moment. While this may add on an extra minute or two, it is an amazing sentiment that allows them to feel included while giving your ceremony an intentional entrance. This can be done for both partners as they enter.
3) If both partners want the guests to stand for their entrance, have the wedding party enter first. Once the wedding party enters and finds their place, the officiant can engage the guests by asking, “Is everyone ready for the big moment?! Please stand to welcome in the couple.” Your guests will be buzzing with excitement. From there you can enter one by one while walking down with a family member (or your best friend) or you can walk down together.
4) Consider meeting your partner halfway! There are so many insanely romantic variations of this moment. But let’s take a moment to imagine one, you walk in and go all the way to the altar, the wedding party enters but before the door opens for your partner you walk up to the middle of the aisle. With your back facing the entrance door, your guests stand and your partner enters. When you turn to greet them, you take a moment to soak it all in. There they are… the love of your life! And you’re both surrounded by the people that know you best. Finally, you take each other arm in arm and walk to the altar together. We cannot POSSIBLY be the only ones swooning over this idea!
5) You and your partner enter from opposite sides, meet at top of the aisle, do a special handshake (or break the rules and kiss right there) and then walk down together. This is such a cute way to show your bond and walk into marrying your best friend.
6) How about this, you could be your partner's flower person! You’re the one doing life with them after all. Might as well make sure every step is covered in beauty and good wishes. Once the wedding party enters (if there is one), the doors open and there you are with a basket of flowers sprinkling them as you walk to the altar. When we shared this idea with Minister Toya, she raved about how meaningful this moment could be as an act of service and celebration for your partner.
7) If this is a family affair, as in you and your partner have children, consider walking in together. Your officiant could announce, “Everyone, please stand to welcome our royal family!” Given that the children are old enough, you can create a formation that fits down your aisle. Maybe with children in the front and the couple behind them, walking arm in arm. This is a great entrance to set the tone for celebrating your legacy.
Overall, the entrance is truly your time to shine. We know that non-traditional couples look for ways to modernize traditions and celebrate their love in authentic ways. It’s okay to break the mold and create an entrance that lets your personality shine. Plus, think about all the cute pictures and videos you’ll get to capture this unforgettable moment.
If you are working with a professional officiant, run a few of these ideas by them and see how they could be worked into your ceremony. Who knows, they may even have a few great ideas that we haven’t shared. But, if you and your partner are creating your ceremony yourselves and you need a little professional insight consider booking a ceremony planning session with us! We will work with you to create an engaging and memorable ceremony you’ll love. You will receive a digital copy of Laughter at the Altar to help along the way.
